Six Degrees of Separation – from Intermezzo to First Lie Wins

It’s time for #6degrees, inspired by Kate at Books Are My Favourite and Best. We all start at the same place as other readers, add six books, and see where it ends up. This month’s starting point is Intermezzo by Sally Rooney, an Irish author who is very popular at the moment, although I didn't care for Conversations with Friends.  This has a cool cover, doesn't it?

First Degree

My favorite Irish author is Madeleine Polland, and in the last few years, I’ve found a couple of her books I hadn’t previously read, including Thicker Than Water (1965) (my review), about a woman who returns to her childhood home in Ireland only to find something very wrong.

Second Degree

Another book called Thicker Than Water came from a writing duo, Linda Barlow and William Tapply (1995). I think my friend Jeanmarie was the original editor of this book but I inherited it before it was published and I remember meetings with the art director where we kept suggesting themes from the book for him to capture. Is that a lizard next to the flower? Having two authors does not leave much space on the cover! Tapply, who died in 2009, mostly wrote legal mysteries so this partnership was a departure for him. Barlow has written in a variety of genres and hit the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists. By a funny coincidence, my coworker Katy roomed with Barlow’s daughter in college. Thank goodness I have a friend at work who likes to read!

Third Degree

My third link is blood. Blood Work by Michael Connelly (1998) is about an FBI agent recovering from a heart transplant.   It was very good but I don't think Harry Bosch novel even makes an appearance. I have enjoyed a lot of these books on audio.

Fourth Degree

In Piece of Work by Laura Zigman (2006), a stay-at-home mom has to return to work when her husband is laid off, and her first assignment is to resurrect the career of a very difficult has-been actress. Zigman (who went to my high school) has a dry humor that always makes me laugh out loud, although she can be poignant too.

Fifth Degree

Another kind of work is Nightwork by Nora Roberts (2022). Her protagonist, Harry, begins a life of thievery as a child to support his mother but soon finds the thrill and secrecy are addictive and devotes his whole life to intricate scams. Unfortunately, when he is finally ready to give it up and lead a normal life, a powerful enemy requires the heist of his life.

Sixth Degree

One of my favorite books of 2024 was also about a con artist – First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston (my review). A talented author can make you root for a character who is a criminal!

So I connected Intermezzo, set in Dublin, with books that take place in the Irish countryside, New England and Belize, Los Angeles, New York, and the final two primarily in the southern states. Have you read any of these? Next month (December 7, 2024), Kate has chosen Sandwich by Catherine Newman (I read one chapter and decided my life was too short to read about such whiny people, even though I'd been interested because it is set in a part of Cape Cod I know).